WhatsApp Emails May Be A Malware Scam

Over the past month or 2 we’ve been seeing email stating they are from WhatsApp Messaging Service with a subject line of 5 New Voicemail(s) or something similar. If you receive them, beware!

WhatsApp is a legitimate service and company but if you aren’t a subscriber, they are all a scam designed to infect your computer.

Here’s a sample of what the body of the emails look like

WhatsApp Hoax

In this particular case, clicking on Play will take you to a page athttp://optisell.com.au/message.php?message=t1zxFUPPf2kcnp8UBwYLvaILs2N1MDvF0exZEFac3nU=Which I’m sure wouldn’t be a nice place for your computer to visit, LOL.

Reports are that this scam is primarily aimed at Android users but we’ve seen it hitting PC emails on a regular enough basis we felt compelled to write about it.

As far as Android devices are concerned, if the link is clicked, the malicious site will download and install a file called “Browser 6.5”. If users then click an “Agree” button in the “browser”, text messages will be sent to premium rate phone numbers. The app will also try to convince users to download another malicious app.

Facebook Users Targeted

Apparently Facebook users have also been targeted with an ad offering an app for continuing your conversation from your desktop. Unfortunately, there is not a desktop options for Whatsapp users and the scam guides you to join a group that then has access to your friends list, as well as posting spam on your behalf.

Meanwhile, over at the legitimate Whatsapp, users have been seeing spam as a result of WhatsApp adding voice messaging to the service in August, 2013. According to Trend Micro, the victims of this hoax have been getting emails telling them they have new voicemail. Of course, clicking the link takes them to an infected site, specifically tailored for the platform they are using.

In closing…

Be very leery of email from or Facebook offers for WhatsApp. If you are not a WhatsApp user, just delete the email. If you are a user, hover your mouse cursor over the Play button and look at the bottom of your email window where it shows the destination it’s wanting to take you to. More than likely it won’t be taking you to WhatsApp!